Prebiotics

Abstract

Recent progress in intestinal microbiota research has revealed that microbiota not only form stools but also act as a barrier from external disturbance factors such as pathogenic microorganisms. They also utilize food-derived components that humans cannot digest and absorb. In addition, they sometimes supply the host with beneficial metabolites, such as short-chain fatty acids and vitamins, as well as harmful metabolites, such as enteric rot products and secondary bile acids. Moreover, they have profound effects on human health: they stimulate the immune system and are associated with obesity; they are also intimately linked to various parts of the body such as the brain and kidney. Prebiotics are commonly described as food for the intestinal microbiota in the gut, especially those that contribute to the health of the host. In this article, I present prebiotics in general, including a prologue to prebiotics, the history of their definition, the main prebiotic materials, and their benefits to human health. I will also briefly touch on their expected development.